The fundraiser is being organized by Scott Conley, who inherited an orange grove from his grandfather, Marion Roche, a former citrus producer and educator in Marion County.

A graduate of Forest High School and the University of Florida, Conley is coming to Ocala from his current home in Bowling Green, Ky., this weekend to host the fundraiser for Kaedyn Ballew, who was diagnosed with infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia two years ago.

Kaeydn responded well to blood transfusions and chemotherapy, and his illness had been in remission. However, he relapsed recently and will need a bone marrow transplant within the next couple of months, his mother, Shelsie, said.

"He finished treatment in August. He was doing so well, you would never have known he was sick in the first place," Shelsie Ballew said. "He started bruising in December, and two weeks later it turned into full-blown leukemia."

Conley, 40, knows the Ballew family from having attended the same church, Central Church of Christ. He said he lost his mother to cancer two months before his grandfather died in 2010 and can identify with people who struggle with aggressive diseases.

"Kaedyn comes from a really super family, and I just want to help," Conley said. "I used to mow his grandmother's yard when I was in high school. Kaedyn's grandmother battled cancer last year. It's just an awful thing. It's a hard thing for a family member to go through. I just want to support them any way I can."

Conley has about 1,800 fruit-bearing trees on his property. Most of the crop consists of Hamlin oranges, a cold-hardy variety that can be juiced or peeled and eaten.

During Saturday's orange-picking event, for liability reasons, people will be asked to gather oranges from low-hanging branches or off the ground. Conley said 100 percent of the sales will go to the Ballew family.

Also, T-shirts that read "Pickin' for Kaedyn," will be available for $10. Conley hopes to raise at least $1,000.

Although the family has some insurance, Shelsie Ballew said the fundraiser will help with extra financial pressures. Her husband, Nic, is an electrician at Stevens Electric & Mechanical in Ocala and drives regularly to Gainesville while his son is at Shands.

Meanwhile, Shelsie stays by Kaedyn's side, at night climbing into her son's crib and cuddling him in her arms.

Thinking back to Kaedyn's original diagnosis two years ago, Shelsie said it was difficult to accept at first.

"Of course I was scared, but I just kind of pushed that to the back of my mind. I thought he would be OK and be a survivor," she said. "It's been a tough road. You try to focus on the positive and how well he's doing."

Kaedyn's recent relapse struck the family hard.

"I was definitely devastated the first time, but this time is so much worse," she said. "I cry every day. There's nothing worse than having a child that's ill."

After this weekend's orange picking fundraiser, Conley plans to get his grandfather's citrus business going again.

"One of my goals is to get it up to the production it was 10 years ago," he said. "My grandfather had a knee replacement and just couldn't continue to go out there like he was. He had a little fruit stand there. As an educator, he would sell to other educators in the county. They would come to the back door of his house."

Conley is in the process of building a country store on U.S. 441 near the orange grove. His uncle, Jim Conley, and his brother-in-law, Joey Whitaker, will manage it. Conley expects to open for business in about a month.

<p>Pick your own oranges this Saturday and you'll also be helping the family of a 3-year-old boy who is fighting leukemia.</p><p>The fundraiser is being organized by Scott Conley, who inherited an orange grove from his grandfather, Marion Roche, a former citrus producer and educator in Marion County.</p><p>A graduate of Forest High School and the University of Florida, Conley is coming to Ocala from his current home in Bowling Green, Ky., this weekend to host the fundraiser for Kaedyn Ballew, who was diagnosed with infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia two years ago.</p><p>Kaeydn responded well to blood transfusions and chemotherapy, and his illness had been in remission. However, he relapsed recently and will need a bone marrow transplant within the next couple of months, his mother, Shelsie, said.</p><p>"He finished treatment in August. He was doing so well, you would never have known he was sick in the first place," Shelsie Ballew said. "He started bruising in December, and two weeks later it turned into full-blown leukemia."</p><p>Conley, 40, knows the Ballew family from having attended the same church, Central Church of Christ. He said he lost his mother to cancer two months before his grandfather died in 2010 and can identify with people who struggle with aggressive diseases.</p><p>"Kaedyn comes from a really super family, and I just want to help," Conley said. "I used to mow his grandmother's yard when I was in high school. Kaedyn's grandmother battled cancer last year. It's just an awful thing. It's a hard thing for a family member to go through. I just want to support them any way I can."</p><p>Conley has about 1,800 fruit-bearing trees on his property. Most of the crop consists of Hamlin oranges, a cold-hardy variety that can be juiced or peeled and eaten.</p><p>During Saturday's orange-picking event, for liability reasons, people will be asked to gather oranges from low-hanging branches or off the ground. Conley said 100 percent of the sales will go to the Ballew family.</p><p>Also, T-shirts that read "Pickin' for Kaedyn," will be available for $10. Conley hopes to raise at least $1,000.</p><p>Although the family has some insurance, Shelsie Ballew said the fundraiser will help with extra financial pressures. Her husband, Nic, is an electrician at Stevens Electric & Mechanical in Ocala and drives regularly to Gainesville while his son is at Shands.</p><p>Meanwhile, Shelsie stays by Kaedyn's side, at night climbing into her son's crib and cuddling him in her arms.</p><p>Thinking back to Kaedyn's original diagnosis two years ago, Shelsie said it was difficult to accept at first.</p><p>"Of course I was scared, but I just kind of pushed that to the back of my mind. I thought he would be OK and be a survivor," she said. "It's been a tough road. You try to focus on the positive and how well he's doing."</p><p>Kaedyn's recent relapse struck the family hard.</p><p>"I was definitely devastated the first time, but this time is so much worse," she said. "I cry every day. There's nothing worse than having a child that's ill."</p><p>After this weekend's orange picking fundraiser, Conley plans to get his grandfather's citrus business going again.</p><p>"One of my goals is to get it up to the production it was 10 years ago," he said. "My grandfather had a knee replacement and just couldn't continue to go out there like he was. He had a little fruit stand there. As an educator, he would sell to other educators in the county. They would come to the back door of his house."</p><p>Conley is in the process of building a country store on U.S. 441 near the orange grove. His uncle, Jim Conley, and his brother-in-law, Joey Whitaker, will manage it. Conley expects to open for business in about a month.</p>